Getting something free is always fun; a free sample, buy one get one free, free gift card with the purchase of so many dollars worth of merchandise. Unsuspecting Facebook users have experienced several fake gift card scams that have left many people unnerved. These scammers are phishing for information. Phishing by definition is a crime where scammers fraudulently impersonate a trusted company to gain access to personal information. The scammers hope to steal the credit card and other personal information from users to sell on or to use to make fraudulent credit cards.
An elaborate marketing scheme was set up using sophisticated marketing techniques to lure naïve users to part with their information. The enterprising fraudsters set up Facebook “fan pages” for legitimate, well trusted, businesses. In order to become a fan, they are asked to fill out a credit assessment form. On the form is important personal information. While the consumer is filling out the personal information the crooks are planting viruses that implant various malware programs that leave personal information vulnerable to attack.
One such scam is the use of a legitimate business name to gain an air of authenticity. A successful and conscientious grocery store chain, Whole Foods Market from Texas knows this all too well. Recent fan pages offering “Whole Food FREE $500 Gift Card! Only Available for 36 hours!” is one such hoax that has lead Whole Foods to chase down the pranksters. Enticing consumers with known brand name is a common trait as consumers recognize the name and want the freebee.
Surfacing just before Easter the scam is still haunting Whole Foods. Whole Foods has an uphill battle because as soon as a “fan page” has been taken down, another one seamlessly pops up. Facebook officials are taking these breaches seriously. One official says “we’re working on ways to automate the flagging of these scam groups and pages so we can take action on them even more quickly”.
Other Companies Affected
Whole Foods is not the only company to feel the effects of the phishing scam. IKEA and Best Buy have also been under attack by similar fraud artists. Taking advantage of a secure and easily recognizable name IKEA and Best Buy have seen their “fan page” offering $1,000 gift cards to the first 20,000 fans. To get the $1,000 gift card the unsuspecting consumer must first become a “fan” and then enter personal and credit card information.
How to Detect a Phishing Scam
Phishing scams were estimated to have stolen 1.7 billion in 2008 and between July and December 2008 an Anti-Phishing Working Group identified twenty thousand unique new phishing sites each month during this time frame. According to Google’s official website online security blog here are some top tips to determine if the site is a phishing site:
• Look at the URL. If it contains the words ‘login’, ‘banking’, or use an IP address for its name, or a large number of host components or unusually long name it could be a phishing scam site.
• Review the page itself. If it contains a password field. If the site requests your password be wary of a phishing scam.
• Look at the hosting information. Illegal sites are often based in one country but hosted on servers from other countries.
If you suspect a phishing scam:
- Report it immediately to the Facebook Security page
- Do not become a fan
- Do not provide any personal information
And remember as the old saying goes “if it is too good to be true, then it probably is”. This is one instance where taking your grand- mother’s advice will pay off.
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